A survey of master's-level staffing patterns and clinical roles.

1,157 mental health agencies were surveyed concerning the employment of master's-level clinical psychologists, and usable data were provided by 637. Numbers and proportions of staff positions, salaries, job functions performed, and training models preferred for master's-level clinicians are reported for 9 types of mental health agencies. Community mental health centers and state hospitals provided the best sources of employment. The optimal training program should prepare the student to perform group and individual therapy, psychological testing, and community mental health functions. Research skills were more important in state hospitals than in community mental health centers. (1 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA visiting psychologist program: 1981-1982.

The Visiting Psychologist to Field Settings Program, under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Mental Health, has completed its 15th year of operation. The program continues to function as a mechanism for the dissemination of up-to-date knowledge generated in recent research findings and to provide for the demonstration of innovations in psychological procedures to mental health professionals in service settings by psychologists who are significantly involved in research, training, and the delivery of services. The number of agencies visited by the program since its inception totals over 500. During the past year, 22 agencies were visited. Since several of the agencies reviewed by the Advisory Committee requested similar areas of consultation and were in close geographical proximity to one another, the committee felt it desirable to arrange some combined agency visits in order to include as many agencies as possible in the program. Agencies that received visits are listed with their Visiting Psychologists. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Measuring treatment outcome and client satisfaction among children and families: A case report.

Formal assessment of client satisfaction and treatment outcome is more frequently being requested as a component of mental health services. This article outlines a treatment outcome and client satisfaction program implemented at the Children's Health Council, a private nonprofit mental health agency in Palo Alto, California, affiliated with the Stanford University Medical Center. The program was designed to be simple and inexpensive, and it is intended to serve as an example for other agencies and practicing professionals wishing to measure treatment outcome and client satisfaction. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA visiting psychologist program: 1978-1979.

The Visiting Psychologist Program, under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Mental Health, has completed its 12th year of operation. The program continues to function as a mechanism for the dissemination of up-to-date knowledge generated in recent research findings and to provide for the demonstration of innovations in psychological procedures to mental health professionals in service settings by psychologists who are significantly involved in search, training, and the delivery of services. The total number of agencies visited by the program since During the past year, 15 agencies were visited, of which 14 were newly selected agencies and 1 was a return visit to an agency visited the previous year. Agencies that received initial and return visits are listed with their visiting psychologists in Table 1. Agencies and visiting psychologists involved in return visits are indicated with an asterisk. The Advisory Committee would like to thank all of those who contributed to the success of the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

The practice of psychological testing in clinical services in the United States.

Questionnaire responses were obtained from 185 (61% of 304 agencies including VA stations, state mental hospitals, institutions for mental defectives, outpatient clinics, and counseling centers. The median number of different tests was used 26; the range was from 5 to 8. The most frequently used tests are the Rorschach, Draw-A-Person (Machover), Thematic Apperception Test, Visual Motor Gestalt Test (Bender), Stanford-Binet, WAIS, and MMPI in that order. Comparisons are made of the 20 most used psychological tests in each of 3 decades. From Psyc Abstracts 36:02:2HA79S. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Charges for outpatient rehabilitation: growth and differences in provider types

OBJECTIVE: This study compares Medicare program charges through time for outpatient rehabilitation services across different types of institutional providers. DESIGN: Observational study of Medicare Part B claims. The analytic methods include a decomposition analysis and analysis of variance via regression. SETTING: Data come from six different institutional providers types: community hospital outpatient departments, rehabilitation hospital outpatient departments, skilled nursing facilities, independent rehabilitation agencies, comprehensive outpatient rehabilitation facilities, and home health agencies. PATIENTS: Five percent random sample of Medicare beneficiaries who used any institutionally based Part B physical, occupational, or speech therapy during the calendar years 1987 to 1990. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Charges for Medicare Part B rehabilitation therapies (physical and occupational therapy, speech pathology). RESULTS: Charges for rehabilitation services grew more than 86% during this period across all provider types. Both the likelihood of using rehabilitation services and the average annual charges per patient grew rapidly. We found large differences in average annual per person charges and in the growth in charges across the six institutional provider types. Analyses that controlled for patient demographic characteristics and diagnoses across five provider types did not explain observed differences. Hospital outpatient departments were consistently the least costly type of institutional provider and independent rehabilitation agencies the most expensive. Diagnostic data were not available for home health agency claims, so these were omitted from the multivariate analysis of annual charges. CONCLUSIONS: The large increases in charges cannot be explained by increases in the Medicare eligible population, aging, or inflation. The level and differential in growth is highest among new provider types and those dominated by proprietary ownership. These observations suggest that therapy services are profitable and that provider incentives may be an important component in overall growth.     

Psychological test usage in southeastern outpatient mental health facilities in 1975.

93 outpatient mental health centers and clinics in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi were surveyed for the frequency of use of 25 psychological tests. 111 questionnaires from 61 centers provided usable data. Findings indicate that testing is an important function of outpatient mental health centers. Results are discussed in light of recent claims that psychological testing, especially projective techniques, is on the decline. (12 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

A social marketing model for disseminating research-based treatments to addictions treatment providers

AIMS: Researchers must develop effective strategies for disseminating research-based treatments. This study evaluates the application of a dissemination model based on principles of social marketing and diffusion theory. DESIGN: A case study describes how the model was implemented. A qualitative design was employed to examine rates of adoption and adaptation of an early intervention program by a targeted system of addictions agencies. SETTING: The interventions were developed at the Addiction Research Foundation in Toronto and disseminated to Assessment and Referral (A/R) Centres in Ontario, Canada. PARTICIPANTS: Study participants included the managers and a designated therapist for 33 participating A/R centres. MEASUREMENTS: Managers were asked mainly open-ended questions concerning whether their agency had made a formal decision to adopt the intervention and whether therapists in their agency were using the early intervention program. "Adoption" was operationalized as offering the complete four-session intervention to at least one client. FINDINGS: At 12 months after the completion of training workshops, 68% of 34 agencies in the target system had adopted the program while 85% of the agencies were using some components of the intervention with clients. CONCLUSIONS: The dissemination model appeared to be effective although its application proved to be time-consuming and labour-intensive. The "market analysis", systems focus and field-test components of the model appeared to contribute to its success.     

Using registry nurses: coping with cost and quality issues

If a nursing service uses agency nurses to help cope with staff shortages, the nursing administrator must manage the cost and quality of care delivered by these nurses. The authors describe their hospital's system for using agency nurses. The components of their system--an orientation program, contracts with the agencies, and systematic performance evaluation--can be used or adapted in other institutions.     

Mental health centers and the criminal justice system

Through questionnaires, interviews, and site visits, the authors undertook to ascertain to what extent the 26 community mental health centers in Kansas were contributing to the resolution of problems that concern the criminal justice system. They found that in all large communities some reciprocal programs have developed between the two systems, but meaningful collaboration is rare in small communities. Juvenile courts, urban law enforcement agencies, and county probation officers are most receptive to collaborative programs. An evaluation of several effective programs revealed three basic conditions that attribute to their success: an urban community setting, individual initiative by staff from each system, and location of the program within the criminal justice system.     

Statement on mental illness and mental retardation.

The statement made on behalf of the American Psychological Association is in support of Senate Bills 755 and 756 developed by Congress in response to President Kennedy's message on mental illness and mental retardation. "The psychologist is vitually concerned with the problems of mental disorders and of mental retardation. He is especially interested in research, and in the provision of services to people through the organized agencies of society, such as the public schools, community mental health centers, hospitals, institutions for the retarded, and rehabilitation agencies of many kinds." (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Acceptance of moderate drinking by alcoholism treatment services in Canada

OBJECTIVE: The present study was conducted to provide a nationwide survey of acceptance of nonabstinence goals and related alcoholism treatment practices by Canadian alcoholism treatment services. METHOD: A random sample of 335 Canadian alcoholism treatment service agencies were mailed a 4-page questionnaire designed to assess acceptance of moderate drinking as a drinking goal and related alcoholism treatment practices. RESULTS: Acceptance varied by type of service, with considerably more acceptance by outpatient programs (62%) and mixed inpatient/outpatient programs (43%) than inpatient/detoxification/ correctional facilities (27%) and halfway houses (16%). Two-thirds of the respondents who reported moderate drinking as unacceptable in their own agencies categorically rejected moderation for all alcoholism clients. CONCLUSIONS: Individuals seeking services in Canadian alcoholism treatment agencies are more likely to have a choice of drinking goals if they present to an outpatient program than a residential institution, and Canadian agencies appear more accepting of moderation goals than American programs, but less accepting than British and Norwegian service agencies.     

Mental health intensive outpatient programming: An outcome and satisfaction evaluation of a private practice model.

The current economic climate of mental health care requires an adaptation of traditional treatment paradigms for practitioners to succeed in the marketplace. Psychologists have not really capitalized on their training and expertise in developing outpatient treatment models for acute care. A private practice outpatient program, based in crisis intervention and group therapy, is described. The effectiveness of a mental health intensive outpatient program (IOP) in a private practice setting is demonstrated. IOPs represent an opportunity for private practice groups to collaborate with larger systems of care while providing clinically effective, consumer friendly, and safe treatment for acute patients in traditional outpatient settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Constructibility Issues for Highway Projects

State transportation agencies recognize the need for contract documents that will ensure rational bids and minimize problems during construction of facilities. A significant aspect of developing high-quality contract documents is to incorporate constructibility reviews into project planning and design. Before state transportation agency management can address constructibility implementation, critical issues affecting implementation must be understood. A survey was conducted to capture specific constructibility issues from the perspective of agencies, design firms, and construction contractors. These issues are categorized into those relevant to project execution processes, project planning and technical design documents, and project resources. Analysis and interpretation of the issues within these three categories suggest eleven paradigm shifts that state transportation agency management must address to successfully implement a constructibility program.     

APA visiting psychologist program: 1973-1974.

The NIMH-sponsored Visiting Psychologist Program has completed its seventh year of operation. This program is designed to facilitate the dissemination of current knowledge generated in recent research findings and to provide for the demonstration of innovations in psychological research to mental health professionals. The program attempts to reach practitioners in service settings by offering consultation, lectures, and demonstrations by psychologists who are themselves significantly involved in research, training, and delivery of services. During the 1973-1974 program year, 49 agencies were visited, of which 38 were newly selected agencies and 11 were return visits to agencies visited the previous year. Forty-eight psychologists participated as visitors in the program. Agencies that received initial visits are listed, with their Visiting Psychologists, in Table 1. Agencies and Visiting Psychologists involved in return visits are listed in Table 2. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

APA Visiting Psychologist Program: 1971-1972.

The Visiting Psychologist Program has completed its fifth year of operation under the sponsorship of the National Institute of Mental Health. The program is designed to facilitate the dissemination of up-to-date knowledge generated in recent research findings and to provide for the demonstration of innovations in psychological procedures to mental health professionals in service settings by psychologists who are significantly involved in research, training, and delivery of services. The program continues to be well received by agencies and visitors who have participated in it. During the past year, 43 agencies were visited, of which 33 were newly selected agencies, while 10 were return visits to agencies visited the previous year. Forty-four Visiting Psychologists participated in the program. Agencies which received initial visits are listed, with their Visiting Psychologists, in Table 1. Agencies and Visiting Psychologists involved in return visits are listed in Table 2. The Advisory Committee would like to thank all of those who contributed to the success of the program. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Quality assurance: A challenge for community mental health centers.

Reviews the quality assurance requirements that are currently being applied to community mental health centers. The requirements were initially developed from an inpatient perspective. Application to an outpatient mental health area presents many problems, not the least of which is that no generally accepted standards exist for mental health care. Suggestions are presented regarding how a center might develop some quality assurance procedures, particularly utilization and peer review committees. (18 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Two little magic words.

Discusses the importance of perceived program need and agency and consultant contracts to the development of agency-based community mental health programs. For programs that depend significantly on the contributions of an outside consultant, 2 steps must be taken. First, the nature of the perceived program need and the relevance of the consultants' interests and skills to that need must be established. Second, contracts clarifying the agency's and the consultant's specific roles and responsibilities in the prospective program must be developed. Problems in need determination may involve misidentification of need or disagreement among agency staff about needs. A hypothetical program for training volunteers as companions of discharged mental patients is described to illustrate the steps taken in establishing contractual responsibilities. (7 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)